Princess Bride, The (1987)

reviewed by
Simon Doherty


THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987)
Review by Simon Doherty

Any director who can make films as diverse as Misery, This is Spinal Tap and The American President deserves kudos for variety. Rob Reiner has displayed as much range as anyone around, and what's more his films are always entertaining. Here he turned to the fantasy genre, and again came up with a winner; a film that will genuinely be enjoyed by both children and adults.

The story: A boy (Fred Savage) is ill in bed so his grandfather (Peter Falk, of Columbo) comes to read a book to him: The Princess Bride. It is this book that makes up the bulk of the film. Robin Wright plays Buttercup, a girl who finds True Love with her farmhand Westley (Cary Elwes). However, Buttercup hears one day that Westley has been killed by pirates, and so she submits to Prince Humperdinck's (Chris Sarandon) desire to marry her. After she is kidnapped, though, Westley comes to rescue her. He later has the help of Mandy Patinkin and Andre the Giant, playing a master swordsman and ... a giant. To be fair to Andre, he displays an acting ability that far surpasses the standards usually seen in the WWF, and he doesn't let the film down in the slightest.

I first saw this movie when I was about ten, and I absolutely loved it. It had it all; a mysterious hero, fantastic sword fights, an oily villain and giant monsters. It was the kind of film that we would re-enact countless times on the playground, after prolonged arguments over who got to play whom. I truly wished that I was Westley, almost as much as I wished I could be Marty McFly. Few things could be cooler than being able to sword fight, although being able to play Johnny B. Goode is one of them. It's a rare movie that captures a kid's imagination so completely.

Now, at the cynical, world-weary age of 18, it's still great fun to watch. The film retains the best aspects of the fantasy genre while also gently satirising it. The scenes between grandfather and grandson are well observed and stay the right side of sentimental. There's also amusing cameos from Mel Smith and Billy Crystal, and unfortunately an unamusing cameo from Peter Cook (It's basically him talking with an exaggerated lisp).

Who would I like to be now? Hey, I'll be an ill kid if it means Columbo is my grandfather.

8/10
simon.doherty@btinternet.com

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